Stone based copolymer substrate

ABSTRACT

A stone based copolymer substrate includes calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from approximately fifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) by weight and varying in size generally from 1.0 to 3.0 microns, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from approximately two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight and a biopolymer from approximately two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight. The substrate may include a biodegradation additive from approximately three fourths of a percent to two percent (0.75-2%) by weight. By selectively adjusting the ranges of the substrate&#39;s components, various products can be made to replace current tree-based and plastic-based products. The substrate can be configured to be tear proof, water proof, fade resistant and fire retardant while utilizing less energy and producing less waste during its manufacture. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the stone used in the substrate includes limestone.

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 13/193,140filed Jul. 28, 2011, which claim benefit of and priory to U.S. Ser. No.61/385,068 filed Sep. 21, 2010, the contents of each of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a replacement composition fortree based, paper, hard paper and plastic goods. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a limestone based copolymer substrate,which may be used as a replacement composition for a myriad of goodscurrently manufactured from tree-based or petroleum-based substances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Paper products are an integral part of all industrialized economiestoday in spite of the recent rise of the green movement to go“paperless.” Every year, Americans use more than 90 million tons ofpaper and paperboard. That's an average of 700 pounds of paper productsper person each year. Every year in America, more than 2 billion books,350 million magazines, and 24 billion newspapers are published. TheUnited States is the world's leading producer of paper and paperboard,with over 500 mills in operation. Worldwide, there are approximately10,000 mills producing about 300 million metric tons of paper andpaperboard each year. The United States alone produces about 87 millionmetric tons of paper and paperboard, representing nearly one-third ofthe world's total production. Tree based products include paper, papercups, paper plates, envelopes, cardboard packaging, containers, andboxes to name just a few. Paperboard is the stiff type of paper oftenreferred to as “cardboard.” Paperboard is used in food packaging (suchas cereal boxes), and is used to make many other types of products suchas shoe boxes, video game boxes, book covers, etc.

In the papermaking process, wood is first chipped into small pieces.Then water and heat, and sometimes chemicals, are added to separate thewood into individual fibers. The fiber is mixed with lots of water (andoften recycled fiber), and then this pulp slurry is sprayed onto a hugeflat wire screen which is moving very quickly through the paper machine.Water drains out and the fibers bond together. The web of paper ispressed between rolls which squeeze out more water and press it to makea smooth surface. Heated rollers then dry the paper, and the paper isslit into smaller rolls, and sometimes into sheets, and removed from thepaper machine. Producing paper is a complicated process which requireshuge amounts of energy while resulting in significant amounts of wastematerial.

Paper production accounts for about 35% of felled trees, and represents1.2% of the world's total economic output. Recycling one ton ofnewsprint saves about 1 ton of wood while recycling 1 ton of printing orcopier paper saves slightly more than 2 tons of wood. Trees raisedspecifically for pulp production only account for 16% of world pulpproduction, old growth forests account for 9% and second- and third- andmore generation forests account for the balance. Most pulp milloperators practice reforestation to ensure a continuing supply of trees,however future demand is constantly increasing due to the ever presenthuman population increase. It has been estimated that recycling half theworld's paper would avoid the harvesting of 20 million acres (81,000km²) of forestland.

Plastics are also an integral part of industrialized economies. Plasticsare typically petroleum based and require huge amounts of processing,energy and costs to produce. Unfortunately, petroleum is derived fromcrude oil which is currently in limited supply and high demand. Lessthan half of every barrel of crude oil extracted from the ground isrefined into gasoline. The rest of the barrel is used in the productionof an estimated 57 other major types of goods—goods like kerosene,asphalt, antifreeze, cleaning fluids, laundry detergents, paint,pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hygiene products, diapers, dvds, and eventhe waxes in chewing gum. To further complicate matters, oil isprimarily purchased from hostile and politically unstable nationslocated in the Middle East. Plastic products are also typically notbiodegradable which leads to disposal problems once the life of theproduct is over.

As can be appreciated and understood, finding a viable alternative totree-based and petroleum-based products which are cheaper, requires lessenergy to manufacture and are biodegradable would result in economicalsavings while simultaneously benefiting the environment. Accordingly,there is a need for finding a replacement substrate for paper andplastic products. The present invention fulfills these needs andprovides other related advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of a stone based copolymer substrate of thepresent invention includes calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from approximatelyfifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) by weight. Calcium carbonate maybe derived from limestone. The substrate also includes a high-densitypolyethylene (HDPE) from approximately two to twenty-five percent(2-25%) by weight. The substrate also includes a biopolymer fromapproximately two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight.

In exemplary embodiments, the calcium carbonate is in a crushed formvarying in size generally from 1.0 to 3.0 microns. Alternatively, thecalcium carbonate may have a median particle size of less than 5.0microns.

In another exemplary embodiment, the substrate may include talc fromapproximately two to seventeen percent (2-17%) by weight. The talc maybe in a crushed form varying in size generally from 1.0 to 3.0 microns.

In another exemplary embodiment, the substrate may include abiodegradation additive from approximately three fourths of a percent totwo percent (0.75-2.0%) by weight. The biodegradation additive mayinclude additives such as those sold under the trademark ECOPURE (whichcan include any one of a series of formulations of organic molecules orpolymer chains that are tailored to non-biodegradable polymers) or anysimilar such biodegradation additive known in the art.

In exemplary embodiments the biopolymer may include polymer of lacticacid (PLA), poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA),Nylon 610, Nylon 611 or Polyactic Acid.

In another exemplary embodiment, the high-density polyethylene mayinclude recycled high-density polyethylene.

An exemplary process for manufacturing a recycled high-densitypolyethylene substrate includes the steps of: extracting recycledhigh-density polyethylene from a plurality of existing plastic products;mixing a substrate including calcium carbonate (CaCO3) fromapproximately fifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) by weight, therecycled high-density polyethylene from approximately two to twenty-fivepercent (2-25%) by weight, a biopolymer from approximately two totwenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight and a biodegradation additive fromapproximately three fourths of a percent to two percent (0.75-2%) byweight; and then forming the substrate into a new product. Thereafter,the new product may be disposed into a landfill or a microorganism richenvironment. The biodegradation additive facilitates and promotesrecycling of the product.

An exemplary process for manufacturing a limestone based copolymersubstrate pellet includes the steps of: blending a substrate including ahigh-density polyethylene from approximately two to twenty five (2-25%)by weight, a biopolymer from approximately two to twenty-five percent(2-25%) by weight forming a copolymer, and crushed calcium carbonate(CaCO3) from approximately fifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) byweight varying in size generally from 1.0 to 3.0 microns; and thenforming the substrate into a plurality of pellets, such that theplurality of pellets are utilized in secondary manufacturing techniquesfor a variety of goods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a stone based copolymer substrate. Morespecifically, the present invention is a stone based copolymer substratethat can be used in current manufacturing processes as a paper andplastic goods replacement. Additionally, the stone based copolymersubstrate may be biodegradable. The substrate is an organic andsustainable combination of powdered stone and a copolymer includinghigh-density polyethylene and a biopolymer. Due to the substrate beingstone based it can be used to produce tear proof, water proof, faderesistant and fire retardant products. Additionally, the substrate ismanufactured free of toxins resulting in a 100% non-toxic finishedproduct. The substrate is also 100% recyclable. An advantage of thesubstrate is that it can be manufactured completely within the UnitedStates with 100% American sourced materials. Finally, the manufacturingprocess requires relatively low energy consumption. In an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, the stone substrate is limestone.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes calciumcarbonate (CaCO3) from fifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) by weightin the form of 1.0-3.0 microns in size, high-density polyethylene (HDPE)from two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight and a biopolymer fromtwo to twenty-five percent (2-25%) in weight.

Limestone is processed such that the CaCO3 is ground or pulverized intoa size ranging generally between 1.0 to 3.0 microns in size. Thecopolymer is also prepared where the HDPE and biopolymer are blendedtogether. Then the CaCO3 is blended into the copolymer to result in thesubstrate. The substrate can then be manufactured into a range ofproducts and goods through thermoforming, blow molding, injectionmolding, bubble forming, vacuum forming and pelletization. Pelletizingis the process of compressing or molding the substrate into the shape ofa small pellet. These pellets can then be shipped to variousmanufacturers who use the pellets in their specific manufacturingprocesses such as injection molding.

Limestone has been found to be cheap, simple to process and widelyabundant. Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of theminerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms ofcalcium carbonate (CaCO3). Limestone makes up about 10% of the totalvolume of all sedimentary rocks. It is to be understood by those skilledin the art that other stones (other than limestone) can be used to formthe substrate as this disclosure is not intended to limit it solely tothe use of limestone. For instance, dolomite may be used but hasdisadvantages. Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate and the magnesiumis expensive to remove making the substrate significantly moreexpensive.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene high-density (PEHD) isa polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. It takes 1.75kilograms of petroleum (in terms of energy and raw materials) to makeone kilogram of HDPE. HDPE is commonly recycled, and has the number “2”as its recycling symbol. In 2007, the global HDPE market reached avolume of more than 30 million tons. The HDPE adds to the overalldurability of the product, the heat tolerance of the product and theflexibility. The lesser the percentage of HDPE, the weaker the part willbe and the lower the heat tolerance of the product will be. It may alsobe possible to replace HDPE with other suitable replacements, such as athermoplastic urethane (TPU) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

A polymer is a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of repeatingstructural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalentchemical bonds. Although the term polymer is sometimes taken to refer toplastics, it actually encompasses a large class comprising both naturaland synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties. Because ofthe extraordinary range of properties of polymeric materials, they playan essential and ubiquitous role in everyday life. This role ranges fromfamiliar synthetic plastics and elastomers to natural biopolymers suchas nucleic acids and proteins that are essential for life.

Biopolymers are polymers which are biodegradable, typically made byliving organisms. Biopolymers may be comprised of starches, sugars,cellulose or made with synthetic materials. Since biopolymers arepolymers, biopolymers contain monomeric units that are covalently bondedto form larger structures. Cellulose is the most common organic compoundand biopolymer on Earth. About thirty-three percent of all plant matteris cellulose. The cellulose content of cotton is 90 percent and that ofwood is 50 percent. Biopolymers include, but are not limited to, polymerof lactic acid (PLA), poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), Polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHA), Nylon 610, Nylon 611, and Polylactic Acid.

The cost analysis shows that raw materials contained in the substrateare approximately 6-10 cents on the dollar versus comparable paper andplastic products. Manufacturing of the substrate has approximately1/10th of the labor costs of producing similar end products from treebased paper. Manufacturing of the product has approximately 1/9th theenergy cost of producing similar end products from plastics.Incentivizing a change towards the substrate is that those large-scalecompanies which do adopt the substrate product will receive millions ofdollars in tax rebates and carbon credits in addition to a savings of upto 30% on the purchase of this substrate versus paper or plastic. Theprofitability of a wide spread adoption of the use of the substrate invarious products will be in the tens of billions of dollars annually,assuming very conservatively these products only garner a 10% share ofthe (US) market alone. The Unites States production of plastics is at astaggering $374 billion dollars per year and growing. The polymersubstrate is extremely versatile because it may be formed using any oneof the plastics forming methods currently known in the art including,but not limited to: thermoforming, blow molding, injection molding,bubble forming, pelletizing, master batching, vacuum forming or anyother similar method.

Products potentially manufactured from the limestone based copolymersubstrate include, but are not limited to, paper plates, food trays,disposable cups, to-go containers, pizza boxes, Chinese food containers,coffee cup lids, retail food packaging, water bottles, soft drinkcontainers, fast food packaging, milk cartons, frozen food packaging,shipping packaging and materials, candy packaging, medical packaging,waste containers, document bins, display boxes, drink holders, eggcartons, airline food packaging, hospital meal service items, prisonmeal service items, military MRE packaging and containers, disposableliquid vessels, school lunch service items, hot liquids containers, hotliquids containers, automotive parts, office supplies, household items,plastic cutlery, light fixtures, accessories for light fixtures,disposable plastic articles such as plastic gloves, cosmetics holders,spectacle frames, medical apparatus dental products, hardware products,plastic bags, plastic conduits, plastic hoses, plastic rods and bars,sheet plastic, protective plastics, display assemblies, novelty items,plastic ornaments, arts and crafts implements, polymer based cladding,acoustical panels, building panels, building moldings and accessories,gaskets, fasteners, jointing materials, shields, polymer-based bumpers,flooring materials, and any variety of materials manufactured from thesame.

In an exemplary embodiment, talc was added to the substrate. The talcwas generally about 3.0 microns in size and was from about 2-17% inweight of the substrate. In the early stages of developing thesubstrate, talc was found to act as a lubricant and made certainmanufacturing processes easier. For instance, the talc would help amixture of the substrate easily glide through a mechanical screw andgears used in the manufacturing process. It is to be understood by oneskilled in the art that other lubricants may be included in thesubstrate for ease of various manufacturing processes.

In another exemplary embodiment, a biodegradation additive may beincluded in the substrate. One such biodegradation additive is made byBio-Tec Environmental of Albuquerque, N. Mex. This additive is soldunder the tradename ECOPURE, which can include any one of a series offormulations of organic molecules or polymer chains that are tailored tonon-biodegradable polymers, such as polymers found in finished polymerproducts. The ECOPURE biodegradation additive is a proprietary blend oforganic materials that does not modify the base resin to which it isadded. The latter retains all its original properties and shelf life.The ECOPURE biodegradation additive is melt-compounded into amasterbatch carrier resin, which is then pelletized. The ECOPUREbiodegradation additive initiates and promotes solely a biodegradationprocess, and does so only in the presence of microorganisms such as arefound in landfills and similar environments.

The biodegradation additive is added to the substrate to promote the endproduct to break down once it is discarded into a landfill. A landfillis an environment full of microorganisms. The biodegradation additivehelps to promote the natural recycling of the product in nature.Typically, plastic products do not degrade well, or at all, oncediscarded in a landfill. The substrate of the present invention iscomprised of limestone, which is naturally occurring sedimentary rock,and the copolymer. However, the HDPE from the copolymer is essentially aplastic. There exists a very large market of recycled HDPE currently inthe United States. Recycled HDPE can be used in the substrate along withthe biodegradation additive. This means that the total supply ofplastics in landfills can be reduced, as the present invention createsproducts from existing HDPE and then breaks it down naturally once theproduct is discarded.

The percentages of the substrate can be manipulated to create productsof varying durability, strength, cost and biodegradability. As can beseen by one skilled in the art, the lower the percentage amount of HDPEused in the substrate the quicker the product will degrade in alandfill. Also, the use of an increased percentage of biopolymer resultsin a higher cost but also decreases the time for the product to degrade.

Generally, the limestone based copolymer substrate comprises: (A)calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from fifty to eighty-five percent (50-85%) byweight in the form of 1.0-3.0 microns in size; (B) high-densitypolyethylene (HDPE) from two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) by weight;and (C) a biopolymer from two to twenty-five percent (2-25%) in weight.Alternatively, talc may be added to the substrate from two to 17 percentby weight in the form of about 3.0 microns in size. Also alternatively,a biodegradation additive may be used in the substrate to promotedegradation of the end product once in a microorganism rich environmentsuch as a landfill. These alternatives are not exclusive, but merelyrepresent different embodiments of the invention. The requiredpercentages of each component produced from the substrate can fallwithin the ranges listed above. However, specific percentages of eachcomponent's composition are dependent upon the desired end product andits desired mechanical properties. For example, use of thebiodegradation additive as described above can result in biodegradationof the product in 120 days or less under anaerobic conditions under ASTMD5511 when the amount of limestone used is as low as 45% by weight ofthe substrate and as high as 85%. Depending on the particular formulaused, within these ranges, the substrate's properties will vary and makeit suitable for various applications, including but not limited to,cups, plates, trays, envelopes, packaging, fast food containers, drinkbottles, pizza boxes, retail product displays, building materials, autoparts, medical devices and other such products discussed herein.

One example of the substrate, which has properties suitable for foodtrays, consists of the following formula: (A) 70-80% Calcium Carbonate;(B) 18.5% HDPE and biopolymer; (C) 1% fill of biodegradation additive;and (D) 0.2% Talc. A food tray was made following the process detailedhereafter. Generally, the composition of the substrate requires theapplication of CaCO3 evenly dispersed throughout the resin blend invarious amounts ranging from 50%-85% by weight. First, whether the CaCO3is treated or untreated, its size generally ranges from 1.0-3.0 microns.Second, the Talc is in a powder form in sizes ranging from 1.0-3.0microns and is then sifted and blended into the CaCO3. The amount ofTalc is in the ratio of 2-17% by weight. The CaCO3 and Talc must beblended in a dry and powdered state.

The manufacturing process also required the biopolymer to be heated to arange of between 150 and 350 degrees F. and involves the agitation ofthe heated polymers for a period of time between 1-4 hours prior tofiller introductions. The process required a marriage of the heatedbiopolymer slurry and the HDPE slurry. The slurry of biopolymer and HDPEmust be combined while the thermodynamically activated HDPE is combinedwith thermodynamically activated biopolymer at temperatures in the100-300 Fahrenheit range. Then the two polymer slurries must be addedtogether and agitated for a period of time between 1-4 hours.

The blend of CaCO3 and Talc must be added in an even fill to polymermass ratio whereas by weight the polymer is between 20-50% of the fillerweight. Under continuous heated agitation the slurry containing 50%-85%CaCO3/Talc based mineral mix is agitated for a period of 1-4 hours underconstant heat ranges from 150-300 degrees F. There is cohesion betweenthe biopolymer and the calcium carbonate at a specific temperature valuebetween 150 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The mineral added slurry onsteady agitation is ready for extrusion to any thermodynamic plasticsextrusion equipment such as bubble form, thermo form, injection mold androtary molds.

There must be a short thermal process in correlation to the slurryagitation within specific time parameters prior to either the vacuumforming or an injection molding processes dependent upon end product.There is an injection of air in the majority of end product processesthat is directly relevant to the substrate's native characteristic asapplied to end product and must be observed as a product specific timevalue.

The next step is to blend the biopolymer and HDPE in a combinationrelevant to the rigidity requirements of the finished with reference todegradability, weight, and end use of the product. The slurry is thendispersed with the CaCO3 at a fill rate of between 50 and 85 percent andtrace amounts of talc are mixed with the CaCO3. This is conducted withenough heat and agitation to allow for the ingredients to combine andthen is either fed into a blowmold center fed assembly for productsrelated to that uniform process. In the case of end products that needto be injection molded the slurry is fed into the hopper and isdragflowed to the nozzle and thus extruded. In the instance of an endproduct that needs blown film extrusion the substrate is extruded in itsmolten slurry form extruded through a die and is then verticallycollapsed and rolled into a film which then can be used in athermoforming process to create thin film substrates.

In the early stage of production and development of the slurry processthere were many difficulties in producing the substrate in a balancedand even dispersion. Many different methods and mix ratios we tried andtested before discovering the presently disclosed slurry process. Bycombining the biopolymer and HDPE in the slurry process separately andapplying heat for several hours the layers of polymer became moreuniformly joined and then it is able to separately add the fill load ofminerals with a uniform and smooth dispersion. This technique ultimatelyled to a successful batch due to the different thermal qualities of thepolymers in question and a dramatically improved uniform fill ratio.This in turn led to the finished substrates native cost saving andhighly efficient durability and molding qualities.

The end percentage ratio of this invention is what is most prominent inthe products unique nature and is represented at a value less than 20%of gross composite weight is non calcium carbonate and a value of 4-19%of gross volume is not mineral based but is still a reclaimable,degradable inclusion set to meet the products end user requirements forrigidity, form and weight. The formulation of the substrate is dependentupon the desired end product's mechanical characteristics and isaccordingly dependent upon the (1) gauge of substrates final form, (2)the required rigidity, (3) the final weight requirements, and (4) theend consumer usage.

It is also discovered that by combining certain ingredients in a slurryand treating them as one would commonly treat environmentally illtrepidations such as petroleum based plastics, Styrofoam and wood paperpulp, it has been found that the use of this substrate is the same as inmany of the same manufacturing processes as the aforementioned massproduced toxin rich materials without any of the detrimental effects ofthe production of said industrial mainstays.

The virtues of using calcium carbonate as related to calcite over otherforms such as aragonite or dolomite is directly relative to extraprocesses needed to extract the heavy metals in dolomite and thethermodynamic instability aragonite in addition to the lower hardnessand specific gravity of calcium carbonate which has a hardness value of2.5 and a specific gravity of 2.7 lower than both of the aforementionedalternative minerals and thus more easily processed and manufactured. Aswell as less wear and tear on tools and equipment.

As discussed above, by varying the required percentages of eachcomponent with the ranges set forth herein, different substratequalities are achieved. Additionally, it has been discovered that bycombining newly available biopolymers with a combination of pulverized1.0-3.0 micron limestone and a balance of trace elements of reclaimedhigh-density polyethylene and optionally powder fine talc in smallpercentages by way of slurry, controlled agitation, thermal interaction,various vacuum processes and injection molding applications thefollowing substrate resulted:

1. A malleable and extremely cohesive substrate is developed.

2. An easily formable, shapeable material may be extruded up to severalinches.

3. A dedicated pseudo polymer like substance is achieved.

4. A 99% sustainable materials based substrate is achieved.

5. A 100% recyclable substrate is achieved.

6. A 100% water resistant substrate is achieved.

7. An extraordinarily flame retardant substrate is achieved.

8. An extremely rigid substrate is achieved.

9. An extremely tear resistant substrate is achieved.

10. An extremely fade resistant substrate is achieved.

11. A 100% non-toxic finished substrate is achieved.

12. A 100% non-toxic reclamation process is achieved.

13. A 100% pollutant free manufacturing model is achieved.

14. A 100% bleach and acid free manufacturing chemistry is achieved.

There are many advantages of the substrate of the present invention. Forinstance, limestone is the planet's single most abundant mineralcovering nearly 10% of the world's surface. The biopolymers used in thesubstrate are sourced from sustainable plant based alcohols instead ofpetroleum-based oils. The manufacturing process uses very littleelectricity and water while also using no toxins, bleaches or acids. Theend product is food grade, biodegradable, and recyclable and reverts toa powder state when incinerated or degraded. The end product iscompletely environmentally safe throughout its entire life cycle. Forevery metric ton of tree paper products which are replaced by thesubstrate, the following resources are not consumed: 4 tons of virgintimber are saved, 24,000 gallons of water are saved, 156 pounds of solidwaste are not introduced into the environment, and 200 pounds ofairborne chemicals are not introduced into the air. The end product isusable on a wide variety of materials that currently rely upon plasticand polymers.

Rogers City located in the North East corner of the Michigan peninsulabordering Lake Huron could be chosen as the site of the first andprimary production headquarters of the substrate due to the location ofone of the largest limestone deposit densities in the world being inthis area and also having very easy access to Detroit, one of thehardest hit cities in the current economic crisis. (It is to beunderstood by those skilled in the art that Limestone can be excavatedfrom a multitude of locations around the world.) This deposit oflimestone is conveniently located in the center of major transit routesgiving relative direct access to most of the major United States regionsand also to Canada by way of the Great Lakes. Lost automotive industrialjobs could be replaced with green production and manufacturingpositions. A quality American industrial labor pool at a very budgetfriendly wage is therefore easily accessible. Additionally, by openingup a new manufacturing industry in the Rogers City area, it would bereceived publicly in a very positive public light. Opening a greenbusiness in this area is a very capital friendly position with relationto tax credits and $100-$200 million in federal and state grants whichare likely to be received. Due to all of the above mentioned qualities,capabilities and environmental benefits, the wide spread adoption anduse of the substrate is a simple and proactive way to contribute to thereduction of both global warming, deforestation and global waste. Theinventor contemplates sourcing the substrate from any number of locationin the United States and internationally.

Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposesof illustration, various modifications may be made to each withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, theinvention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A biodegradable food container product comprisinglimestone, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and a biopolymer, the foodcontainer product formed by the process of: forming a substrate by:forming a polymer resin blend by heating the biopolymer to between 150and 350 degrees F. to achieve thermodynamic activation of thebiopolymer, heating the HDPE then combining this thermodynamicallyactivated HDPE at between 100 and 300 degrees F. with thethermodynamically activated biopolymer to form a combined mixture, andagitating the combined mixture at between 100 and 300 degrees F.;blending limestone having a particle size ranging from 1 to 3 micronswith talc having a particle size ranging from 1 to 3 microns and in adry and powdered state to form a limestone/talc blend; dispersing thelimestone/talc blend throughout the polymer resin blend; and furtheragitating the dispersed limestone, talc and polymer resin blendmaterials at between 150 and 300 degrees F. to establish cohesionbetween the biopolymer and the limestone to form a substrate material;and forming the food container product by extruding the substratematerial using at least one of bubble form, thermo form, injection moldor rotary molds, the food container product comprising 50-85% by weightlimestone, 2-25% by weight of the high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and2-25% by weight of the biopolymer.
 2. The biodegradable food containerproduct of claim 1 wherein the biopolymer is polylactic acid.
 3. Thebiodegradable food container product of claim 1 further comprising abiodegradation additive in an amount of between 0.75 to 2% by weight ofthe substrate.
 4. The biodegradable food container product of claim 1wherein the biopolymer comprises at least one of a polymer of lacticacid (PLA), poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).5. The biodegradable food container product of claim 1 wherein thedispersion of the limestone/talc blend throughout the polymer resinblend is an even dispersion.
 6. The biodegradable food container productof claim 1 wherein less than 20% of a gross composite weight of the foodcontainer product is not limestone.
 7. The biodegradable food containerproduct of claim 1 wherein less than 4-19% of a gross volume of the foodcontainer is not limestone.
 8. The biodegradable food container productof claim 1 wherein the food container product is a disposable cup, ato-go container, a water bottle, a soft drink container, a milk carton,a disposable liquid vessel, or a hot liquids container.
 9. A disposableliquid container manufactured using at least one of a thermoforming,blow molding, injection molding, or vacuum forming technique, thecontainer comprising: a substrate material comprising 50-85% by weightlimestone having a particle size ranging from 1 to 3 microns, 2-25% byweight high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and 2-25% by weight of abiopolymer, such that the substrate material comprises a polymer resinblend formed from a mixture of the HDPE and the biopolymer, thebiopolymer being thermodynamically activated by heating to between about150 and 300 degrees F., the HDPE and the biopolymer agitated at anelevated temperature between about 100 and about 300 degrees F., andwherein the limestone is evenly dispersed throughout the polymer resinblend such that a cohesion is established between the limestone and thebiopolymer by agitation of the limestone with the polymer resin blend atan elevated temperature between about 150 and about 300 degrees F. 10.The disposable liquid container of claim 9 wherein the container is asoft drink container.
 11. The disposable liquid container of claim 9wherein the biopolymer is polylactic acid.
 12. The disposable liquidcontainer of claim 9 wherein the biopolymer comprises at least one of apolymer of lactic acid (PLA), poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), orpolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).
 13. The disposable liquid container ofclaim 9 wherein the substrate material further comprises between 2 and17% by weight of talc.
 14. The disposable liquid container of claim 13wherein the talc has a particle size of between 1 and 3 microns.
 15. Thedisposable liquid container of claim 9 further comprising abiodegradation additive in an amount of between 0.75 to 2% by weight ofthe substrate, thereby resulting in biodegradation of the containerwithin 120 days or less under anaerobic conditions under ASTM D5511. 16.The disposable liquid container of claim 9 wherein the container is adisposable cup, a to-go container, a water bottle, a soft drinkcontainer, a milk carton, a disposable liquid vessel, or a hot liquidscontainer.
 17. A method of producing a biodegradable substrate forforming a product, the method comprising the steps of: forming a polymerresin blend by heating a biopolymer to between 150 and 350 degrees F. toachieve thermodynamic activation of the biopolymer, heating a highdensity polyethylene material (HDPE) then combining thisthermodynamically activated HDPE at between 100 and 300 degrees F. withthe thermodynamically activated biopolymer to form a combined mixture,and agitating the combined mixture at between 100 and 300 degrees F. toform the resin blend; blending limestone having a particle size rangingfrom 1 to 3 microns with talc having a particle size ranging from 1 to 3microns and in a dry and powdered state to form a limestone/talc blend;dispersing the limestone/talc blend throughout the polymer resin blend;further agitating the evenly dispersed limestone, talc and polymer resinblend materials at between 150 and 300 degrees F. to establish cohesionbetween the biopolymer and the limestone to form the biodegradablesubstrate.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the biopolymer ispolylactic acid.
 19. The method of claim 17 further comprisingintroducing a biodegradation additive in an amount of between 0.75 to 2%by weight of the substrate.
 20. The method of claim 17 wherein thebiopolymer comprises at least one of a polymer of lactic acid (PLA),poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).
 21. Themethod of claim 17 wherein the dispersion of the limestone/talc blendthroughout the polymer resin blend is an even dispersion.
 22. The methodof claim 17 wherein the substrate is used as a material to form a cup,plate, tray, envelope, packaging, fast food container, drink bottle,pizza box, retail product display, building material, auto part, medicaldevice, a paper plate, food tray, disposable cup, to-go container, pizzabox, Chinese food container, coffee cup lid, retail food package, waterbottle, soft drink container, fast food package, milk carton, frozenfood package, shipping package, shipping package and materials, candypackage, medical package, waste container, document bin, display box,drink holder, egg carton, airline food package, hospital meal serviceitem, prison meal service item, military MRE package, military MREpackage container, disposable liquid vessel, school lunch service item,hot liquids container, hot liquids container, automotive part, officesupply, household item, plastic cutlery, light fixture, accessory forlight fixtures, disposable plastic article such as plastic gloves,cosmetics holders, spectacle frames, medical apparatus dental products,hardware products, plastic bags, plastic conduits, plastic hoses,plastic rods and bars, sheet plastic, protective plastics, displayassemblies, novelty items, plastic ornaments, arts and craftsimplements, polymer based cladding, acoustical panels, building panels,building moldings and accessories, gaskets, fasteners, jointingmaterials, shields, polymer-based bumpers, flooring materials, ormaterials manufactured from the same.
 23. The method of claim 22 whereinthe form product is produced by at least one of thermoforming, blowmolding, injection molding, bubble forming, or vacuum forming andpelletization.
 24. A cup made by the process of forming a polymer resinblend by: heating a biopolymer to between 150 and 350 degrees to achievethermodynamic activation of the biopolymer, heating a high densitypolyethylene material (HDPE) then combining this thermodynamicallyactivated HDPE at between 100 and 300 degrees F. with thethermodynamically activated biopolymer to form a combined mixture, andagitating the combined mixture at between 100 and 300 degrees F. to formthe resin blend; blending limestone having a particle size ranging from1 to 3 microns with talc having a particle size ranging from 1 to 3microns and in a dry and powdered state to form a limestone/talc blend;dispersing the limestone/talc blend throughout the polymer resin blend;further agitating the evenly dispersed limestone, talc and polymer resinblend materials at between 150 and 300 degrees F. to establish cohesionbetween the biopolymer and the limestone to form the biodegradablesubstrate; and forming the cup by extruding the substrate material usingat least one of bubble form, thermo form, injection mold or rotarymolds, the food container product comprising 45-85% by weight limestone,2-25% by weight of the high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and 2-25% byweight of the biopolymer.
 25. The cup of claim 24 wherein the biopolymeris polylactic acid.
 26. The cup of claim 24 further comprisingintroducing a biodegradation additive in an amount of between 0.75 to 2%by weight of the substrate, thereby resulting in biodegradation of thecontainer within 120 days or less under anaerobic conditions under ASTMD5511.
 27. The cup of claim 24 wherein the biopolymer comprises at leastone of a polymer of lactic acid (PLA), poly-hydroxybutanoate (PHB), orpolyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).
 28. The cup of claim 24 wherein thedispersion of the limestone/talc blend throughout the polymer resinblend is an even dispersion.